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<br /> <br />An indication of the water policy of the State may be <br />derived from the policy statements and assignment of powers <br />and duties contained in the statutes. <br /> <br />For example, the following declaration of policy is <br />contained in Chapter 455A, Iowa Code 1966 (enacted 1949 and <br />amended 1957), which assigns to the INRC general responsi- <br />bility for the control, utilization and protection of the water <br />resources of the state: <br /> <br />"455A.2 Declaration of policy. It is hereby recog- <br />nized that the protection of life and property from <br />floods, the prevention of damage to lanqs therefrom <br />and the orderly development, wise use, protection <br />and conservation of the water resources of the state <br />by the considered and proper use thereof, is of para- <br />mount importance to the welfare and prosperity of the <br />people of the state, and, to realize these objectives <br />it is hereby declared to be the policy of the state to <br />correlate and vest the powers of the state in a single <br />agency, the Iowa natural resources council, with the <br />duty and authority to establish and enforce an <br />appropriate comprehensive state-wide program for <br />the control, utilization and protection of the surface <br />and ground-water resources of the state. It is hereby <br />declared that the general welfare of the people of the <br />state of Iowa requires that the water resources of the <br />state be put to beneficial use to the fullest extent of <br />which they are capable, and that the waste or <br />unreasonable use, or unreasonable methods of use, <br />of water be prevented, and that the conservation of such <br />water be exercised with the view to the reasonable <br />and beneficial use thereof in the interest of the <br />people, and that the public and private funds for the <br />promotion and expansion of the beneficial use of <br />water resources shall be invested to the end that the <br />best interests and welfare of the people are served. <br /> <br />"Water occurring in any basin or in any watercourse, <br />or other natural body of water of the state, is hereby <br />declared to be public waters and public wealth of the <br />people of the state of Iowa and subject to use in accord- <br />ance with the provisions of this chapter, and the control <br /> <br />4 <br />